10 years of giving thanks

Noaki Schwartz

Paul Dolkas is forgetful. His office is filled with notes and memos

reminding him to call clients, to send documents and to make lunch dates.

It’s been 10 years since the car accident left the 45-year-old Newport

Beach resident in a coma with a body full of crushed bones. Dolkas, who

ran triathlons as a hobby, still isn’t sure whether he’ll ever be able to

function fully without his small crutches.

And while he doesn’t remember the first Thanksgiving following the

accident, the one thing he’ll never forget and for which he’ll always be

thankful for is the support his wife, Dana, and friends have shown

throughout the ordeal.

It was while heading home on April 26, 1989 that Dolkas’ life changed. He

was driving his old silver sports car on Irvine Avenue at about 6:30 p.m.

As he reached the S-curve at Santiago, a turbo Porsche racing another car

lost control and hit Dolkas head-on.

His car was crushed and so was his body, wedged in the tiny sports car. A

trauma team quickly arrived on the scene, pulled him out of the car and

flew Dolkas to Mission Trauma Center in a helicopter.

“I was in a coma for 21 days,” he said, adding that when he awoke he

stared stunned at the ceiling.

His wife and best friend Dave were the first people Dolkas saw when he

awoke. They were by his side 24 hours a day, leaving only to eat or

shower.

Dolkas’ crushed body was operated on six or seven times within the short

weeks. He had to have other people’s bones fused to his own in his right

thigh and left ankle.

Prior to the accident, the restaurant broker/entrepreneur went home every

night to his beachfront home and his wife and children. Following the

accident, he spent more than a year moving from hospital bed, to

wheelchair, to walker and eventually crutches.

“Mentally, I’m still recovering,” he said.

And through it all his friends, family, doctors and work mates have been

there every step of the way.

This Thanksgiving, Dolkas said, he has 10 years of thanks to give.

“For their love, care, giving, not giving up, patience, humor, advice,

backing, blessing, keeping me grounded, healing and helping me get the

confidence to prevail,” he said. “I would not have healed as well without

all of you.”